Great stuff John. Love your take on Adolescence. Despite a few moments where it doesn't ring entirely true, this was the best piece of British TV drama I've seen in a long time.
[Also, hope you don't mind me pointing out a what looks like a typo in the piece. In para 12. I think it should be 'slang' not 'slag'. ;) ]
One of the emerging patterns in the highly contrarian reactions to this miniseries is the huge gap between what was expected (even at the level of genre) and what they witnessed on screen. It does raise some questions about the marketing (not long ago The Father, the so far most perfect & accurate film about dementia, was marketed as a feelgood family movie - instead of what it actually was/is). However, even with perhaps the PR that may have led some to expect this to be a murder mystery or a courtroom drama with major Hollywoodian “tada” revelations and/or verdict, it is difficult to understand how many are unable to connect with the human aspect that is so detailed and accurately developed (e.g. from child psychology perspective and so on). This is the worrying aspect - instead of this being revelatory for exactly those people, it seems to totally whoosh past them. So they remain blinkered or they apply the ostrich strategy (I had several friends who, as parents, stated that this would be affecting them so they would not watch it - what an own goal…).
I’m in for anything Stephen Graham does, because I think he’s one of the best working actors in the world presently. Jack Thorne‘s work on This is England is legendary. Thank you for bringing this series to my attention. I will be giving it priority. Now, I just have to find it to watch from America.🧐
Thorne definitely has the ability to walk a very delicate line and not fall into traps on either side of that line. In this case, too, as it was in This is England, it is remarkable how he avoids cliches and pitfalls, there are so many elements in the miniseries that could have, within seconds, slid into tired tropes or didacticism or pontification. But he teaches without being didactic, raises questions without having big & loud questions, plus has the courage that is rare nowadays: to let the viewer ponder on open questions without steering us into one or other dominant direction.
Great stuff John. Love your take on Adolescence. Despite a few moments where it doesn't ring entirely true, this was the best piece of British TV drama I've seen in a long time.
[Also, hope you don't mind me pointing out a what looks like a typo in the piece. In para 12. I think it should be 'slang' not 'slag'. ;) ]
One of the emerging patterns in the highly contrarian reactions to this miniseries is the huge gap between what was expected (even at the level of genre) and what they witnessed on screen. It does raise some questions about the marketing (not long ago The Father, the so far most perfect & accurate film about dementia, was marketed as a feelgood family movie - instead of what it actually was/is). However, even with perhaps the PR that may have led some to expect this to be a murder mystery or a courtroom drama with major Hollywoodian “tada” revelations and/or verdict, it is difficult to understand how many are unable to connect with the human aspect that is so detailed and accurately developed (e.g. from child psychology perspective and so on). This is the worrying aspect - instead of this being revelatory for exactly those people, it seems to totally whoosh past them. So they remain blinkered or they apply the ostrich strategy (I had several friends who, as parents, stated that this would be affecting them so they would not watch it - what an own goal…).
A great read. Would love your feedback on my ‘Adolescence’ take from today:
https://reelsandriffs.substack.com/p/adolescence-on-netflix-is-so-real
utterly superb write-up John!
I’m in for anything Stephen Graham does, because I think he’s one of the best working actors in the world presently. Jack Thorne‘s work on This is England is legendary. Thank you for bringing this series to my attention. I will be giving it priority. Now, I just have to find it to watch from America.🧐
UPDATE: It’s on Netflix 👏
Thorne definitely has the ability to walk a very delicate line and not fall into traps on either side of that line. In this case, too, as it was in This is England, it is remarkable how he avoids cliches and pitfalls, there are so many elements in the miniseries that could have, within seconds, slid into tired tropes or didacticism or pontification. But he teaches without being didactic, raises questions without having big & loud questions, plus has the courage that is rare nowadays: to let the viewer ponder on open questions without steering us into one or other dominant direction.
Very well said. I would love to talk about This Is England sometime.